Genetics 101

This is my neice, Hannah... She's six. She's starting 1st grade on Monday. She came with me today to a Relief Society activity, and since there was no children's class, she sat with me the whole time. She's a little chatty, and she'd been talking with our friend Andrea for a while. We were all commenting on how another friend's baby had beautiful dark eyes, and then each of us was mentioning what color eyes we expect our kids to have. For example, I said, "Our kids can only have blue eyes, because both Will and I have blue eyes, and so do all our siblings and parents." Andrea said something similar, and then Hannah asked, "How do you know what color eyes your kids will have?"

Andrea turned to me with a panicked look on her face and said, "Nancy, how do you explain genetics to a 6 year old?!?"

I proceeded to explain to Hannah that we each have a little bit of our Mommy and a little bit of our Daddy inside us... that's how we're made. The following conversation ensued.

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Hannah: But how do you get stuff NOT from your mom or dad?

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Me: You don't. Part of you is from your mom and part of you is from your dad.

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Hannah: (frustrated) Ummm... you're not getting this. How do you get something NOT from your mom or dad?

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Me: I just told you... when you're in your mommy's tummy, you're made because part of your daddy and part of your mommy come together and make you. (How do you tell a six year old about reproduction and genetics without confusing them?)

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Hannah: (more frustrated) You don't understand what I'm saying.

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Me: Then ask your question another way.

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Hannah: Umm.... well (pronounced like wool)... what I mean is... this is complicated.

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Me: Can you think of another way to ask me?

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Hannah: I've already said it. How do you get something that isn't from your mommy OR your daddy?

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Me: Do you mean like how you can look like grandma?

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Hannah: NO....

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Me: Well... you get everything that makes you from your mommy and your daddy.

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Hannah: Well, where do they get it from?

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Me: Their mommies and daddies.

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Hannah: (finally getting what I've been telling her) Oh, I get it now! I'm part from my mommy and part from my daddy.

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Me: Yep.

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Long pause....

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Hannah: Heavenly Father must have rainbow colored eyes.

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Priceless. Her deductive reasoning is perfect.

By the way, what in the world is wrong with all the formatting in blogger? I can't make anything work right for me.